In 1946, Viktor Frankl published a book called Man’s Search for Meaning. In it, he laid out a dream that has become a movement with the intention of moving the nation. Here is what he said,
“Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibility. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.”
Viktor Frankl
Frankl, a holocaust survivor, knew firsthand what it meant to be free, and that it does not come without a price, nor a duty.
You can visit the website, for Frankl’s dream becoming a reality, at statueofresponsibility.com to see the inspiring story. They began to make the dream a reality in 1997 with an artist designing the shape of the statue and hoped to have it constructed by 2020. I believe, the reason it has taken so long to get traction for this idea, is that our country, sorely lacking men willing to stand up and take responsibility, isn’t quite ready for a statue to remind them of the task that God has given them, that many are neglecting, …but it will be. I believe our nation is pining for responsibility to come back to the forefront, it just doesn’t yet know how to get it there.
It starts with you. Are you willing to take up the responsibility of who God made you be? To stop complaining about the way things are and do something about them; train up your children to stand with you? Are you willing to live out Psalm 78?
“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark saying from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
Asaph, Worship Leader of both King David and King Solomon
He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;”
This was the theme verse when we began the children’s ministry at Harvest Bible Chapel in Denver. We chose this verse because of its driving nature to intentionally pass on the truths of who God is to the children who will live by them and themselves pass them on.
There are generations of us who have not had intentional training passed down to us from our fathers. That is the reason I have done the research that I have done. I needed it! So, you are in good company if you look at a passage of scripture like this and think, ‘yeah, great idea… I really want to do that, BUT…’ I’ve been there. The piece that I was missing was simply some key stepping stones to inspire my own ability to carry and pass on the torch of manhood to my boys, and to lay the groundwork for my girls to be protected, provided for, and to be kept pure. You can pass on these truths to your children too.
The key is Responsibility!